5 best free open-world games like GTA 5 for Android devices in 2023

Open-world games are one of the most popular genres in the gaming industry, and GTA 5 is the pinnacle of it. However, the popular Rockstar Games title is an AAA game that is only available on major gaming platforms. As the mobile gaming industry has grown significantly in recent years, many players now want to play their favorite games on hand-held devices.

Although some of the Rockstar-created games are available on the Play Store, there is little to no chance that it will release GTA 5 on mobile platforms.

However, there are other titles that can provide an almost comparable open-world experience similar to the Grand Theft Auto series. This article lists the five best sandbox and open-world games, like GTA 5, that mobile gamers can play for free.

Note: This article is subjective and only reflects the writer's opinions.

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Fortnite, Roblox, and three other open-world games similar to GTA 5 that Android users can play for free

1) Gangstar Vegas: World of Crime

Gangstar Vegas: World of Crime is an open-world game similar to the Grand Theft Auto series. Gameloft SE created an immersive map filled with cities, highways, bodies of water, deserts, and many other features. Players can drive cars and boats, fly planes, and engage in gunfights, among other things.

The graphics are also impressive when compared to other mobile games. The gameplay is filled with several activities, such as skydiving, ring fights, boat races, and more. Gamers are guaranteed to have a good time playing the game while they wait for GTA 6’s release.

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2) Fortnite

Fortnite is currently one of the most popular open-world games in the gaming industry. Although the title's main goal is to survive in a battle royale scenario, Epic Games and People Can Fly have added an open-world map that expands with subsequent DLCs and updates.

Similar to GTA 5 weapons, Fortnite also offers a plethora of armory to players. Despite originally being released for consoles and PCs, the developers have properly calibrated the game to run on Android devices. However, it cannot be found directly on the Google Play Store, and players will have to download the necessary files from the official website.

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3) Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact is an anime-based video game that is very popular among animation fans. It is a role-playing action game published by COGNOSPHERE PTE. LTD. on Google Play Store.

Similar to GTA 5’s gameplay, Genshin Impact also features a single-player and multiplayer mode. However, the most intriguing aspect of the game is that while the Rockstar title only has three protagonists, Genshin Impact consists of four playable characters that players can switch between at any time. This adds to the player's immersion in the gameplay, especially during combat situations.

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4) PUBG Mobile

PUBG Mobile is another popular open-world multiplayer game that is always competing head-to-head with Fortnite and other battle royale games. Despite being banned in several countries, including India and China, it still boasts a large global player base.

The game has several maps, and players can explore them on foot or aboard vehicles such as motorcycles, hand gliders, four-wheelers, and others. However, one must be aware of their surroundings. Each map is a warzone where enemy players can kill them anytime. The gameplay is very similar to GTA Online deathmatches, where players must survive and kill others using various weapons.

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5) Roblox

Roblox is a sandbox game with an open world. In it, players can create new things and share them with friends or other players. It is a virtual world where they can craft their own stories, like starting a criminal empire in GTA 5 Online.

The game's mobile version includes several sandbox elements such as crafting, exploring, racing, football, combat, multiplayer matches, live events, and plenty more. Players can also customize their avatars by choosing from a variety of character skins.